The Librarian as Candidate Building voter support for libraries The Librarian as Candidate PALA 2016 - Reaching New Heights John Chrastka @mrchrastka | @everylibrary Good morning Thank you Introduce ourselves

First Nationwide PAC for Libraries 41 Campaigns 13 more in November $100+ million in stable tax funding 18 State School Associations and ESSA Donor supported -> Pro-Bono Support *

Negotiation and Lobbying Support for funding Over 50 trainings - from individual libraries to state assoc and agencies #votelibraries 2016 The Political Librarian everylibrary.org - professional facing votelibraries.org - public facing action.everylibrary.org - take action *

Voter Data that Frames Our Discussion “From Awareness to Funding” says… Building voter support for libraries

Voter Attitudes Nationwide, of all voters: 37% will Definitely vote yes for the library 37% will Probably vote yes for the library 26% will Probably or Definitely vote no or may vote either way. Building voter support for libraries

Library Use Does Not Matter A voter’s willingness to support increased library funding is not driven, or limited, by library use. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p. 7-2 Building voter support for libraries

Library as Transformative Force [T]he library is not perceived as just a provider of practical answers and information; the most committed supporters hold the belief that the library is a transformational force. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p. 7-4 Building voter support for libraries

Attitude - Not Demographics A crucial and somewhat unexpected finding from the segmentation analysis was that demographics and lifestage were not important constructs in the library supporter segmentation. In fact, demographics are irrelevant to library funding support. The factors that determine residents’ willingness to increase their taxes to support their local library are their perceptions and attitudes about the library and the librarian, not their age, gender, education level or household income. Library funding support is an attitude, not a demographic. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p. 7-3 Building voter support for libraries

Attitude - Not Demographics The factors that determine residents’ willingness to increase their taxes to support their local library are their perceptions and attitudes about the library and the librarian. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p. 7-3 Building voter support for libraries

Perception of the Librarian(s) [Voters] recognize the value of a ‘passionate librarian’ as a true advocate for lifelong learning. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p. 7-4 Building voter support for libraries

What Activates Voters? Seven Factors: A Reason to Vote Mobilized Personal Contact with Candidate or Issue* Culture/Tradition/Habit of Voting* Trust in Government Decided to Vote Weather/Access to Polls Both Building voter support for libraries

What Activates Voters for a Library Measure? The Librarian is the Candidate The Library is the Incumbent Library = Librarians + Community

How Candidates “Surface” 02/27/13 How Candidates “Surface” Write the book Tell their story Be seen as an expert Start an Exploratory Team Get endorsed Launch their Campaign Building voter support for libraries

*What is Your Book? Strategic Plan Management Plan 02/27/13 *What is Your Book? Strategic Plan Management Plan Service/Programs/Collections Plan Fundraising Goals Financials and Fiduciary John Building voter support for libraries

*Tell Your Story - Be the Expert Start talking about your plans Introduce staff to the public Drink more coffee (meetings) Ask people to join you Spend money to get Likes Sign folks up for emailing lists Continually educate your stakeholders

Introduce Staff to the Public Humanize your social media Walk your neighborhoods Library Card Signups door to door Surveys door to door Look past job titles

*Build Your Campaign Team Involved in their communities Library’s importance to a child’s education See the library as a noble place Library as a vital community resource to be supported Value a ‘passionate librarian’ Building voter support for libraries

Identify Your Team with 5 Quick Questions 02/27/13 Identify Your Team with 5 Quick Questions Q1. Why is the library important to you, personally? Q2. What is your favorite reason to use the library? Q3. Who does the Library serve? * Q4. Why is the library important to those people? Q5. What will new funding do to serve those communities? Building voter support for libraries

Limits to their Love They will not ‘go’ without your permission. They will stand with you. But they won’t stand long without you. You don’t want them to stand alone. They start to wander.

Infrastructure…. Spend money to get Likes 02/27/13 Infrastructure…. Spend money to get Likes -Likes are the gateway to effective, cheap, and locally relevant advertising on social media Sign folks up for emailing lists - Email is the gateway to the internet. John

*Getting Endorsed Vision for the community is the key story to tell You will either have more money than people, or more people than money Elections are won through coalitions Endorsements drive legitimacy Proxies who to speak for the candidate are necessary Building voter support for libraries

Guiding Principle: Dread Pirate Roberts

Building Your Message After Lunch [PC]

Plan A / B Frames We have a plan that... Is basic - needs stability Is aspirational - needs growth Is integral - advances several missions The community needs the library to…. Partner Incubators Leverage Building voter support for libraries

“Perception of the Librarian” Nothing Impacts Voter Behavior More than Their Perception of the Librarian and the Library as Institution. #everylibrary Building voter support for libraries

“The Passionate Librarian” We are the Librarians who…. … find a job … learn to read … connect with family Let me tell you about my librarians…. Building voter support for libraries

Remember – Use Does Not Matter To Library Users: “As you know...” Personal Value Proposition Value for Other Activation as a Voter To Non-Users: “As you can imagine...” Value to/for “Other” Satisfaction as a Voter Building voter support for libraries

action.everylibrary.org John

www.everylibrary.org facebook/everylibrary @everylibrary Thank You John Chrastka EveryLibrary www.everylibrary.org facebook/everylibrary @everylibrary Building voter support for libraries